Democrats Sue Over 'G.O.P.' On the Ballot

By DAN FROSCH

Published: September 25, 2008

If you are a Republican candidate in Washington State, say it loud and say it proud.

That is what the state Democratic Party is insisting upon in a lawsuit scheduled to be heard Friday in Seattle.

The Democratic Party wants to compel the Republican candidate for governor, Dino Rossi, to list his party affiliation on the November ballot as ''Republican'' instead of ''G.O.P.''

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, contends that Mr. Rossi, who is locked in a tight race against Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat, is trying to fool voters by obscuring his Republican affiliation.

''Republicans don't poll well, and Rossi is trying to get out from under it,'' said Dwight Pelz, the state Democratic chairman.

A recent poll by Elway Research showed the gap between Mr. Rossi and Ms. Gregoire, although statistically within the margin of sampling error, was larger in her favor when he was identified as the Republican candidate rather than the G.O.P.'s.

Mr. Rossi lost to Ms. Gregoire by 133 votes in 2004.

A new state law allows candidates to identify their party on ballots as they please (up to 16 characters long), but Sam Reed, Washington's secretary of state, said he had encouraged candidates ''not to do silly things.''

Mr. Reed, a Republican and the defendant in the Democrats' lawsuit, said G.O.P. -- for Grand Old Party -- had been used for years and was acceptable.

Jill Strait, a spokeswoman for Mr. Rossi, said he had long used G.O.P. in his campaign literature without complaint.